Our spirits were lifted as Pewter City came into view.We rushed into town.Our
supplies had started to get low, but we had enough money to cover our supplies
as we had earned plenty from the other trainers in the forest.Electra walked with an added confidence from her many battles in the
forest, proving her strength and ability.Wett
walked a similar walk as he had won many battles as well.I had let Wynd out of his Pokéball and he stands on my shoulder if
he’s not flying.Bugger prefers
his Pokéball (no argument here).A
quick trip into the Poké Center for a recharge and we were ready for the gym,
but not before we took in the sights.We
stopped at the museum where we saw fossils, and moon stones.We walked around, enjoying the sights of large boulders and petrified
trees.Once we had had enough of
looking at rocks, we headed to the gym.There
was a sign on the gym door stating that the gym leader had not returned and all
trainers would have to fight a subordinate to earn a badge.It really didn’t matter to me.Just
so long as I could get a badge, I’d fight anyone.I walked into the gym.It
was a fairly large gym, grandstands on either side, a large Pokémon arena in
the center.A bunch of kids were
hanging around at the far end of the gym.A
man was standing near them.One of
the kids noticed me and pointed me out to the others.The kids turned out to be Brocks younger siblings and the man was their
father.Brock had left the gym in
the care of his father, but gave the job of fighting for badges to the kids.Without beating around the bush, the badge battle was initiated.Their father had caught them a geodude a while back and through much
training it evolved into a graveller.All
I had to do was beat their Pokémon to win the boulder badge.Seemed simple enough.Knowing
about the weaknesses my Pokémon have, I sent the only logical choice out into
battle: Wett.Wett and the
graveller met in the center of the arena.

“Marril!”

“Gravvv!”

“Graveller!Seismic
Toss!”One of the kids yelled.

The graveller made a grab for Wett.Wett retreated a few steps and dodged another attempt from the graveller.

“Wett!Water
Gun!”I shouted.

Wett opened his mouth and a stream of water shot out
towards the graveller.The
graveller took the full force of the attack.It had done major damage.

“Graveller!Rock
Throw!”One of the kids yelled.

Graveller picked up a nearby boulder and hummed it at Wett.The rock made contact with Wett.Wett
fell over but quickly regained his bearings.

“Wett!Bubblebeam!”I shouted.

Wett opened his mouth and a stream of bubbles shot out at
the graveller.The bubbles
surrounded the graveller and began to pop violently.The graveller fell back, unconscious.The kids released a sandshrew.

“Sandshrew!Dig!”One kid shouted.

The sandshrew burrowed underground and then popped up in
front of Wett.Wett quickly
retreated as the sandshrew tried to scratch at it.

“Wett!Use
bubblebeam again!”I shouted.

Wett let loose with the bubblebeam attack.The beam hit home and the sandshrew was sent rolling.It slowly got up.Wett had
the advantage.

“Wett!Finish
it with a water gun attack!”I
shouted.

Wett sprayed a hard stream of water at the sandshrew,
knocking it unconscious.

We
had a small celebration that evening.My
boulder badge gleamed in the light of the fireplace.Once we had our fill of food and fun, we crashed for the night on the
sofa in the Pokémon Center.The
next morning we moved on to Mount Moon.We
were all in high spirits.Wynd flew
above us, doing barrel rolls and loop-do-loops in the air, Electra rested on my
head, and Wett walked proudly at my side.As
we walked, I saw a young trainer scolding his pokémon, an Eevee, up the road.Electra became frantic.She
pointed at the boy and was talking to me very quickly.She recognized him.

“Is that the guy that abandoned you?”I asked.

Electra nodded head quickly.That was all I needed to know.I headed straight for the guy with my jaw set to resolve this problem,
but not in a calm way.As I got
closer to him, I was able to hear what he was saying to his Eevee.He seemed to be totally drawn into scolding his Pokémon, that he
didn’t even notice us.

“You can’t even do a decent tackle attack!”He said.“How am I
supposed to get badges when you can’t even fight properly!”

The Eevee hung its head.The kid pushed the Eevee down and walked away.

“I don’t ever want to see you again.You’re just like that weak pikachu I had.”He said.

I left Wett with the Eevee and Electra and me went up to
the guy.I grabbed his shoulder and
spun him around.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”I said.

“I’m abandoning a weak pokémon.It’s what every trainer with a brain would do.”He said.

Electra was staring at him.

“Do recognize her?”I asked, pointing to Electra.

He looked at her, and I could see the recognition just
flood into his face.His face
turned from fearful recognition to fear and then to horror as he looked back up
at me.

“Pika pi!Pikachu!”Electra said while shaking her head.“Pi pi pikachu!Pi!”

“She says you abandoned her because you thought she was
weak.”I said.

He pulled himself out of my grip.

“No way.I
lost her.Give her back!”He said.

Electra shocked him.

“Oh yeah!Go
Charmeleon!”He said as he threw
a Pokéball.

The ball popped open and a charmeleon appeard.

“Pikapi!”Electra
said quickly.

“Char!?”

“Pika!”

“Chaaaaaaar… Meleon!”

The charmeleon turned back to his trainer and shook his
head no.

“What!?You
have to fight!I command you!”He said.

The charmeleon let loose with a flamethrower on his
trainer.Once the flames subsided,
his trainer was covered in ashes and fell over.The charmeleon picked up his pokéball and pressed the button and
returned to the pokéball.I went
over to him and knelt down.

“There are five words I want you to tell Electra.”I said.

“What….five….words?”He asked weakly.

“I’ll.”I
said, holding up one finger.

“I’ll.”He
said slowly.

“Never.”I
said, holding up two fingers.

“Never.”He
responded.

“Do.”I
said, holding up three fingers.

“Do.”He
said.

“That.”I
said, holding up four fingers.

“That.”He
said.

“Again.”I
said, with my hand outstretched.

“Again.”He
said.

“Now say it to Electra.”I said, pointing at her.

He looked over at Electra.

“I’ll….never….do….geez do I have to?”He asked.

Electra shocked him.No
fury is greater than that of a woman, or in this case, a female Pikachu.She wanted to hear this apology.He
slowly got up.I grabbed his shirt
and threw him down on the ground in front of Electra and put my foot on the
small of his back, so he couldn’t get up.

“Now say it.”I
said.

His Eevee was watching, as was Wynd and Wett.

“I’ll never do that again!”He said quickly.

I pulled my foot off his back.He got up and ran off, crying for his mommy.I sat down with Electra, Wett, and Wynd.His Eevee was about to run after him.

“You know, he’s just going to try to abandon you
again.”I said.

The Eevee looked over at me.Electra was hugging me.She was satisfied.The Eevee
sat down.It’s face showed signs
of deep thought.None of us said
anything.This was the Eevee’s
decision.It looked over at Electra
and me.Electra was happy to
finally have gotten back at that awful person.So was I.It came over and
sat down in front of me.

“Eee….” It said slowly.

“Pikapi.”Electra
said.

“Eeev.”It
said.

Electra looked back at me and gave me an affirmative nod.I pulled out one of my pokéballs and set it on the ground.

“It’s your decision.”I said.

The Eevee lifted one paw and touched the button.The pokéball popped open and the Eevee was pulled into it.The ball snapped shut.The
button had turned red and the ball was shaking.After a few moments, the ball stopped moving.I picked up the ball.I had
captured an Eevee.I let the Eevee
out of the ball.

“Now to name you.”I said.

I thought for a moment.

“Since this is the second Pokémon I’ve rescued from
that guy, I’ll call you Encore.”I
said.“We’ll call you Corey for
short.”